Mending Hearts
by Boogum
Summary: All they needed was another chance. Sequel to Twisted.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters or storyline….

**Warning:** None as of yet.

**A/N:** This is the sequel to my fic titled "Twisted". Please read that fic first before reading this one, as you will not understand this at all if you don't. This chapter is not meant to be long, so please don't attack me with accusations on how short it is. Think of this as a sort of prologue…

Moving On 

Draco's footsteps echoed loudly around the painfully white walls, the shiny, polished white floors reflecting his expression of terrible sorrow. How long had he been doing this? How long had it been since he had first walked these pristine corridors to room number thirty-seven?

"Ten years," Draco muttered under his breath, turning the corner and avoiding colliding with a large woman pushing a trolley. Ten years he had walked along this floor, always going to the same room, always for the same reason…

He stopped outside the door, his eyes absently glancing at the black number "thirty-seven" that was peeling slightly. Sighing to himself he opened the door and walked into the room. It was just like it always was; the walls a bright white, the windows never giving enough light, and in the middle of the room the ugly green curtain shielded her from his view.

Taking in a small breath he walked forward and pulled back the sickly, green curtain, gazing down at the wasted woman lying in the bed. Her emaciated body was encased in a simple white gown, her face pale and sunken, with dark rings gathering steadily under her closed eyes. Long red hair that had once been rich with colour now fell dead and limp around her, only making the sickly pale tone of her skin stand out even more. She was but a shadow of the girl he remembered her as, but she was still beautiful to him, even now….

Draco sat down on his usual chair, reaching out to grasp one of her small, fragile hands in his own. His thumb absently ran over her skin, his eyes watching painfully as her chest rose and fell in laboured breaths. She was so broken, so lost to them, but he couldn't stop himself from coming here. Nearly every week he came, taking a seat in this very chair where he would just watch her sleep. She never spoke, she never even moved, for she had been in a magically induced coma for nearly ten tears. Not once had she responded to their potions and spells, but her heart continued to beat, and her lungs continued to breathe. She was alive, but only just…

When he had first come here he used to talk to her; they all had talked to her once, until they realised that no matter what they said she never understood. The healer had told him that her mind was so trapped in between this world and the world beyond the veil that she had no knowledge of what was happening around her body. She was effectively separated from her body and there was a very real chance that she would never wake. Draco had refused to believe it, but now after ten years of watching her silent, immovable face he was beginning to give up… He was beginning to accept that the woman he loved might never look at him again…

He sighed slightly, rubbing a hand over his face as he leant back against the chair. Pansy would be furious if she found out he was here again. They all would be… Everyone seemed to think he needed to let her go, saying that he needed to find love again. He was twenty-seven now; he shouldn't be clinging to ghosts of his past, but she wasn't a ghost. She was as real and as important to him as she had been when he was seventeen. He could still remember the way she would smile; the way her lips would curve up, her chestnut eyes dancing with a golden glow, as that comforting warmth came into her eyes. He couldn't let her go, and he knew that somewhere in this fragile and broken body that smiling girl still existed; she was just too lost to find her way back to him…

"Do you remember when we first became friends?" Draco asked finally, knowing that she couldn't hear him and that he had spoken this story to her many times, but just wanting to do something. "It was the day after you had found out I was werewolf and Pansy had dragged me off to the courtyard. I was already in love with you then I think," Draco admitted, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And maybe that was why I felt so drawn to you... You laughed and joked with us, talking about happy things. It felt good to smile again," Draco said softly, a smile coming to his face even now just thinking about it. He laughed softly, shaking his head as he stared at the wall, "I remember how you started emphasising our names because you wanted us to call you by your nickname, and then we all ended up laughing at how ridiculous it was…."

He looked down at her, a soft glow in his stormy-grey eyes. "You really helped me that day, and I don't think I ever thanked you for it…" He sighed, a frown coming to his lips. "There are a lot of things I never thanked you for…"

Gazing at her silent face, he let out another sigh, reaching out his hand to stroke her pale cheek, his eyes filling with regret and sorrow. Regret for what had happened, and sorrow for what he could no longer have… "I still love you," he whispered in a broken voice. "Even if ten years have passed, I still love you, and I'm waiting for you..."

He stared at her for a moment, watching her feeble breathing, her silence and stillness building the frustration within him. Closing his eyes slightly, he wondered if he really could keep doing this. Always he came back here with the hope that maybe one day she would wake- that perhaps one day he would pull back that curtain and she would be sitting up with a smile on her face, her voice finally speaking to the fill the silent void in his life…but she never did….

Sighing again he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the forehead, smoothing her hair from her face. He pulled himself away, standing up with a resigned expression on his face. It had been another time of silence- another time of disappointment…

His footsteps once more echoing around the unbearably quiet room, Draco walked to the door and opened it, giving one last glance back at Ginny, his eyes filling with a pain only she could give him.

"Come back to me, Ginny." Draco said softly, his prickling with tears. "I need you…"

The door shut behind him as he left, the room once more going back to silent. Ginny remained where she was, her breathing laboured, her heart beating feebly, and her expression so still and unresponsive that she'd might as well have been dead… There was something different, however; something that wasn't quite the same, for on her pale cheeks a single tear glistened…


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters or storyline….

**Warning:** None as of yet.

**A/N:** I'm sorry it's been so long. I've been trying to get a Stroll in Your Shoes finished, and then with everything else happening I haven't been able to get much time to write fanfiction at all. I hope you like this chapter though.

Fragile 

Draco had left the hospital feeling just as heavy and disappointed as he always did when he visited Ginny. He breathed in the smog-filled air and glanced about the street Mungos was located, seeing the muggles completely oblivious to everything as they wandered in a trance to their destinations.

He envied them sometimes; they were so delicately sheltered from the bitter pain of the war, kept like fragile flowers in glass cases to stop them wilting to a dry, ugly end. They didn't know of the destruction that happened behind invisible barriers. They didn't know about the long struggle that had lasted for nearly seven years that had taken its toll on every wizard and witch- good or bad. And they didn't know about the girl that had lay silent for all of them- that even now remained trapped in a haunting chasm between two worlds. They didn't know about her, and he envied them for it, because she was the one thing that made him wilt- that made the fragile spirit in him lose its delicate petals and crumple in a brown, dying mess, no more to bloom again….

Love. That was what did this. Love had always been his downfall and yet it was also his redemption. The love he had for her… so indescribable, so elusive. Love was beyond his grasp, and yet he held it tightly in his hands, holding it so close that his fingernails dug into his skin to leave crescent shapes of bloodied desperation. He clung to his love for her as if it were the very thing keeping him alive. In a way it was…. but it was also killing him, slowly but surely…

There is a reason why lovebird has the word 'love' in it. If one of the mates die the other will soon follow unable to handle the grief of continuing alone. The heart simply gives up, for there is no possible way the bird can live without its mate. Draco felt this way too…. His heart was giving up, and as much as he longed to live, as much as he longed to let go, he couldn't. She was everything to him, but she was slipping away and he was slipping with her. Like the lovebird that had lost its mate, Draco was losing the will to continue. He was clinging to love too desperately, and love was breaking him for it. She was breaking him, shattering his glass and wilting his petals, but he couldn't let go; he still had hope. She wasn't gone yet after all….

Draco sighed as he noticed he had been standing on the pavement for nearly five minutes now. He glanced down at his watch and realised he was supposed to be at work. Unlike most of his friends Draco worked in a nondescript job at the Ministry. It was a small department that simply looked after the maintenance of all the other departments. As much as people trusted him now- well as much as people could knowing that he was a werewolf- his background was still enough to make zealots not want him in any type of high-ranking job. Draco accepted it without resentment. What did it matter if people were too petty to accept he was not his father? What did it matter he would never truly have the respect he deserved? It didn't, not when the woman he loved was on the brink of life and death, only remaining with breath because of the magical support being used on her body.

His friends didn't like how little he cared about the world now. They had all expressed their anger about the Ministry forcing him into such a demeaning job, and were surprised how little it bothered Draco. Of course they all quickly pinpointed why he felt this way and were only more worried about him. They called his love for Ginny unhealthy, and maybe it was but he didn't care. He would come visit her anyway, always hoping, and always being disappointed- another blow to the already battered heart that yearned to hear her voice, begged to see her smile….

"Enough," Draco told himself firmly. "Just don't dwell on it."

And so he didn't, simply walking down the street to the disapparation point and leaving the smog-filled street, the muggles he had been watching so intently continuing in their trance-like movements completely oblivious to it all.

Opening his eyes once he reappeared at the Ministry, he glanced about his tiny office, noticing the pile of papers that would keep him up well into the night. In a way he was relieved they would. He didn't want to go home to his manor where his only company was the painful memories that even now haunted him. Ten years had changed a lot, but ten years had not healed his heart…

Sighing again as he sat down on the rickety chair, the legs squeaking in protest from his weight, he picked up some of the papers and started checking over the illegible scribbles that were supposed to be telling him how much paper had been used in the Auror department, or how much wands had been broken and were in need of replacing from missions. The next file was even more tedious, explaining all about how there were twelve chairs that needed replacing in the Magical Law Enforcement department, as well as new quills needed.

Stifling a yawn, Draco blinked and continued to read, making notes where necessary to hand into his boss, his eyes glancing out of habit at the clock that ticked loudly and repetitively in the corner. In three more hours he would be going to Pansy's for afternoon tea. At least that was something to cheer him up from the monotonous work he would be doing until then.

Closing his eyes slightly as he rubbed his head, he vaguely wondered if this would ever stop. The answer was always the same:

_It would only stop when she was with him again…._

OOOO 

Three hours later Draco was walking the beaten path towards Pansy's house. Knocking twice on the door, he waited patiently, his eyes glancing around the lawn, taking in the clichéd flowerbeds that were perfectly arranged by the windowpanes and the few toys, both muggle and wizard, scattered around the lawn waiting to trip up an unsuspecting adult. The door opened and before Draco even had a chance to turn around he was being pulled into a tight embrace, Pansy's familiar perfume surrounding him in an almost soothing manner. Smiling as he pulled back, he gazed into his friend's face, his smile fading slightly as he noticed the strain in her eyes and the fragility of her smile. Something was wrong…

"What's the matter?"

Pansy's dark blue eyes glimmered slightly, and for the first time he noticed the red rims. She had been crying.

"Is it Ron again?" Draco demanded. "That bastard. I'll kill him-"

"No," Pansy said softly, her voice low and quivering with emotion, but it was enough to make Draco pause in his angry tirade. "Ron's done nothing… It's…. Oh Draco, it's Ginny." She confessed helplessly, her eyes glimmering again with tears.

Draco's heart stopped, his whole body freezing with a sudden wave of fear and anxiety. He could feel his face paling, a sort of clammy sweat already forming on his skin, and his breathing had become virtually nonexistent. Not Ginny…. anyone but Ginny….

"Mummy, why is Daddy and Uncle Harry arguing?" a small voice said from below them. Draco looked down, seeing the young boy with dark blue eyes and flaming red hair tugging on Pansy's skirt, an innocent but upset expression on his face.

Pansy quickly wiped her eyes and knelt down by her son, smoothing his hair back with a false smile on her face. "It's nothing to worry your little head over, Audrey. Go back upstairs and check on your sister. I'll be up there soon and we can continue your drawings."

"Okay," Audrey said with reluctant obedience and ran off down the hallway.

Pansy stood back up to her full height and stared at Draco with a much more calmer expression. "You should come inside."

A sickly feeling shot through his stomach, his hands becoming cold and clammy as he followed Pansy into the house, stepping over more toys three-year-old Audrey had thoughtlessly left behind. The house itself was homely enough, nothing too over-bearing and nothing too extravagant, but Draco wasn't really paying attention to that now as he followed his best friend down the hallway. Raised voices drifted to his ears, and he instantly recognised them as belonging to Harry and Ron.

"Calm down, Ron."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? I can't calm down Harry! My sister is practically being murdered and I can't do anything about it!"

Draco's stomach did that nasty sickly feeling again, his breath coming short as he listened to the two men yell. A new voice came in this time, a female one that he recognised as Hermione's. She sounded slightly hysterical, and by her tone he could tell she would be close to tears, if not crying already.

"You heard them, Ron; Ten years is all they can do! They need those beds for other people, and we all know that Ginny is never going to wake up. She hasn't even moved once. Her mind is trapped between the veil; she's as good as dead anyway!"

There was silence. Awful, gut-wrenching silence, and then the door burst open and Ron stormed past, not even looking at Draco as he stomped off up the stairs probably to go throw things around in a frenzied rage. Pansy gave Draco a worried look and muttered something about how she should probably go check on him. Draco simply nodded, feeling rather in a daze as to what was going on since the only words that mattered to him were still echoing around his brain:

"…We all know that Ginny is never going to wake up. She hasn't even moved once. Her mind is trapped between the veil; she's as good as dead anyway!"

Hermione saw him through the open door and looked the other way, but not before he saw the helpless resignation on her tear-streaked face. Harry walked over and placed his arms around her, holding her close, his green eyes glancing up to meet Draco's grey ones.

"I don't know if you know already but Mungos is cutting off Ginny's life support. Mr and Mrs Weasley agreed that it was for the best, and since it was their decision there is nothing we can do…. I'm sorry," he added, as if that would somehow make the news easier to take.

Draco's hands clenched into fists, fingernails digging in sharply as he trembled slightly. This was not happening. This couldn't be happening… Ginny…. She was going to be allowed to die. She was about to be lost to him forever. He just couldn't accept it…

"When?" he croaked out, eyes stinging slightly with unbidden tears.

"3:45pm," Harry replied softly. "That was when they were cutting her life support."

"3:45pm?" Draco repeated with horror, instinctively staring at his watch to see it was now coming up to 4pm. "No…. Not yet, not now!"

He started running for the front door, not really thinking about what he was doing. All he knew was that he couldn't give up on her right now. He couldn't let Ginny go so easily. He'd pay Mungos all the money they needed. He just couldn't let her go…

"Where are you going?" Harry asked in surprise, taking a hasty step forward as he saw Draco leaving.

"I'm going to save Ginny." Draco answered simply, before running out of the door and bursting into the bright sunshine. He pulled out his wand and disapparated on the spot, appearing once more in the apparation point by St Mungos.

Taking a deep breath he ran into the hospital and right past the lady at the desk, heading straight for room thirty-seven.

"Excuse me, Sir, you have to check in first." The irritable woman called out, but Draco ignored her, simply continuing to run as fast as he could before it was too late. He was like a man caught in a frenzy of madness, his eyes locked ahead of him, his breathing hard and heavy as he ran fast through the pristine corridors, his feet echoing loudly around him.

He turned a corner and crashed into a woman holding a tray of utensils, sending her and the tray flying to the ground. Not even stopping to say sorry, Draco kept running down the corridor, skidding slightly as he came to the stairs he needed to go up.

Rushing up the stairs two steps at a time, he could hear shouting coming from behind him and the woman he had knocked over telling someone where he had gone. Knowing that people were chasing him didn't faze him though. They could come all they like. He wasn't going to be stopped yet, not when he was so close.

Turning once more down the corridor, glad that this one at least was deserted, Draco ran breathlessly along the white floors, stopping only when he got to the familiar, ugly door with the peeling number thirty-seven at the top. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he would see and quickly turned the handle, pushing open the door and walking inside.

The room was much similar to what it had been when he had left it earlier that day: the walls that same, horrible white, the windows giving only dim light, but there was a difference this time. The sickly green curtain that had always covered her from view was now pulled right back and he could see the empty bed perfectly made- not a dent or crease to show that anyone had ever slept in it.

"No…" was all he could whisper, his face crumpling into a mask of grief. "No…" he repeated again, collapsing to his knees as he stared at that empty bed- the bed that had been her resting place for ten years. "This can't be…"

Burning tears stung his eyes and scolded his face as they slipped one-by-one down his pale cheeks. She was gone…. Dead…

The man who he guessed was security finally caught up to him, his voice becoming an angry buzz as he told Draco he had to leave. Draco didn't hear a word of it. He just sat there on his knees crying, knowing that the woman he loved was lost to him but not wanting to accept it; he just couldn't accept it.

His grey eyes glowed dangerously and slowly he turned his face to look at the man, bitterness, resentment and hate lashing out from those steely, grey eyes. "You killed her!" he cried furiously, grabbing the man by his shoulders and shoving him roughly into the wall. "You killed her!" he yelled again, but this time his voice broke, an angry lump constricting his throat as tears forced their way out.

"Release me, Sir, or I shall have to take disciplinary action!"

"Let him go," a woman's voice spoke from the doorway. Draco turned, his hands still gripping the man's shoulders tightly and stared at the woman, noticing her cool blue gaze and hard expression. He recognised her as one of the head healers and slowly released the security guard, taking a step back as he stared at them both, arms folded.

"Come with me Mr Malfoy. I have something to show you." The woman said with a rather odd smile, her cool blue eyes not warming at all, but something about that smile made him curious.

"But Claire, this man needs to be dealt with. He ran up here without authorisation."

"I am well aware of what Mr Malfoy did, Robert, but as your superior I am telling you now to drop it. I will deal with Mr Malfoy myself, now leave us."

Robert the security guard nodded and left the room, giving a wary look at Draco who simply stared coldly back.

"You're lucky I found you here. They would not have let you back I hope you know." Claire said with another of her odd smiles.

"What does it matter anyway," Draco said bitterly. "The reason why I came here is gone now anyway. Ginny's dead."

Claire's smile deepened and she gestured for him to follow her as she headed out the door. "I take it then you are aware that Ginevra Weasley's life support was to be stopped today."

Draco silently nodded, following her down those pristine corridors to a section of the hospital he had not been in before. "Where are we-"

"Just be patient," Claire snapped, making Draco feel like a small, scolded child. He let out a breath and kept walking, wondering what it was that Claire wanted to show him.

"Well we were going to," Claire continued bluntly, not much feeling in her voice. "That woman has been in here for ten years and not showed a single sign of improvement. There are others who needed that bed more than her, but then this happened."

Draco stared as she pointed towards a glass window, following the direction and peering through the glass into another white room where a few people were bustling around. Only one caught his full attention, however. She was sitting on what looked like a wheelchair, her long, limp red hair falling around her waist as she ate what looked like soup. Her pale, sunken face stood out clearly amongst the healthy healers attending her, but that wasn't why he had stopped to stare. It was those eyes…. Those beautiful, chestnut eyes that right now seemed to have lost the lustre that had once attracted him so completely.

"Ginny," Draco whispered, pressing his hand against the glass to get a better look.

"She woke up about half an hour after you left earlier today," Claire said quietly, watching him intently. "Would you like to talk to her?"

Draco turned his face, his hand still pressed up against the glass as he looked at Claire. She was watching him with her same odd smile, her eyes finally warming to become softer and caring. He turned back and stared through the window, seeing Ginny smile in thanks to one of the healers as the woman took her soup away. She looked exhausted, but she was alive…. She was awake…

"Yes," Draco said simply. "Yes I would."

Claire smiled and nodded, opening the door to the room where Ginny was and letting him inside. Draco walked forward almost as if he were in a trance, his eyes only focusing on Ginny sitting in her chair. She was wearing that same white robe, the type all sick people wear in hospitals, and only now that he saw her sitting up did he realise just how thin she had become over these past ten years.

Slowly Ginny looked up as Draco walked more into the room, their eyes meeting for a moment giving Draco a sharp jolt to his heart. In that moment when their eyes met he felt like he was no longer looking at an emaciated, sick woman; in that moment he had seen a glimpse of the old Ginny- full of life, love and spirit. Her chestnut eyes, so deep and filled with emotion had taken on that familiar warm glow, her cheeks lifting as a slow smile crept onto her lips before it was shining gloriously on her face. It floored him how beautiful she was- how truly alive she was. She was here again- Ginny was here…

Stopping in front of her he just stared down at her smiling face, all the words he had thought of saying for this moment dying on his lips at the mere sight of her. The feeling he had right now was too powerful, and all he could do was collapse to his knees in front of her, tears streaming down his face as he reached out and took her hands in his, giving a kiss on each hand before hiding his face in her lap and weeping.

"Draco," Ginny said lowly, her voice raspy from not talking for ten years. It was deeper now, more mature, but still the same voice he remembered all those years ago. "I'm here," she continued, making his tears fall even harder as he felt her run a hand through his hair. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

He finally raised his head and met her gaze, seeing his own face reflecting back at him from her own-tear-filled eyes. "I've missed you so much," he whispered, his voice choked with tears.

"I know," Ginny said softly, caressing his cheek gently. "I heard it all."

"You heard? But…. But the healer said you didn't know what was happening around you." Draco said in some confusion. Was she wrong? Had Ginny heard their words for all those years?

Ginny smiled slightly, a sad, empty sort of smile. "I've been trapped between two worlds for a very long time. Half my soul was beyond the veil while the other was just barely clinging to this world. Most of the time I barely knew what was going on, but I slowly started to come back to this world and that's when I began to hear your voices. I couldn't accept that was the end for me, and finally I woke up. I thought I was going to die so many times- sometimes I thought I was dead, but now…. now I'm finally awake. I'm finally alive."

"Yes," Draco said softly, a small, relieved smile on his face. "You're finally back."

And somewhere deep inside his heart that small fragile spirit had bloomed again.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters or storyline

**Disclaimer:** **I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters or storyline.**

**A/N: **I'm probably not in the right frame of mind for writing right now, so I'll apologise now for any typos, etc that might crop up.

**Escape **

Three weeks had passed since Ginny had first woken. Draco had gone to the hospital every day in the hopes of seeing her, but the healers had told him to leave most of those times. Ginny was unwell, her heart was very weak and she needed to recover without the excitement of visitors- or so they said. Now she had finally been let out of the hospital, and they were all celebrating her return by having dinner at the Weasley's home. Draco didn't understand why he felt so heavy inside though. This was a happy time, but he felt no joy like the others. He just couldn't understand it.

Sighing inwardly to himself, Draco stared moodily at his plate and wondered why it was he felt so unsatisfied. Shouldn't he be happy Ginny was back home with them? Shouldn't he be glad she was no longer being kept in the hospital away from him?

_Maybe it's because she's not yours to love anymore?_

That could be right. When she was in a coma there was nothing to come between them. He could love her as freely as he breathed the air around him. When she was awake it was different. When she was awake there were complications. He felt like there was a great void between them that could not be crossed. He had loved her from the moment he had first seen her smile, but she had never loved him. She had shown affection when they had first been reunited again, but there were no expressions of love, no sign that she returned his sentiments. How naïve had he been to think that her waking would change anything? What wasted hopes had led him to believe this woman could ever return his feelings? It was all for nothing…

He found himself staring opposite the table at her, and almost as if she could sense his eyes watching, her eyes lifted to his. For a moment they just stared at each other in silence before a slow smile graced her lips. Her eyes that were still shadowed with dark rings softened slightly, and that special warmth crept into the chestnut to give a sort of golden hue. Draco found himself quite breathless looking at her in that moment, but even then the frailty of that smile was not lost to him. She was still haunted by her past, by her demons. He only wished she would let him help her, but just as it had been ten years ago, so it was now that she was not his to help.

Ginny lowered her eyes and went back to eating, and Draco suddenly found himself unable to bear sitting here any longer. He could hear the others laughing and talking, the sound of their merry voices digging into him like blunt knife over and over. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This was emptiness compared to the world he had created in his mind. Was he really so delusional? Was he really so naïve and idealistic?

Standing up with a muttered apology, Draco left the room and sought comfort in the cool air outside. The stars winked down at him like so many eyes wrapped in a shadowy mist, just watching his lonely figure lit up by the pale moon. Were they too mocking him for his foolishness? Were the very heavens laughing at his dreams?

"Dreams. That's all I have." He laughed bitterly and sat down on the veranda, not really believing that at his age he should still be acting like some love-sick boy caught in the first throngs of love: too young to know that his hopes were mere fantasy, and too inexperienced to understand that loving did not mean he would be loved in return.

"Are dreams so bad?"

Draco turned at the sound of the voice, knowing already who it would be. She was standing there in all her fallen glory- a shadow of her beauty, but still beautiful in her helplessness. The pale light seemed to make her glow with an almost ethereal touch, bringing out the flaming colours of her hair and the deep chestnut of her mesmerising eyes.

"Sometimes."

Ginny gave him a small smile and sat down next to him. He was very conscious of her proximity and could feel his heart speeding up in its own accord. She seemed unaffected, simply staring out towards the shadowy woods in the distance.

"We haven't talked much since that time in the hospital, have we?"

He looked sideways at her, gazing at her thoughtful expression with a small frown on his face. "No," he agreed. "I suppose we haven't."

She hugged her knees and let out a deep breath. "I never thanked you."

Draco could feel his heart pumping faster and faster. He had said many things to her while she was in the coma. Many things he would never have uttered had she been awake. He did not want to be thanked for those things, just as he had not wanted to be thanked all those years ago.

"For what?"

Her eyes flickered to him, those beautiful, warm, chestnut eyes that he loved so much. "For visiting me all those times. For talking to me even though the nurse said I couldn't hear you anyway." She smiled softly. "It meant a lot to me."

He shook his head in frustration and looked the other way, swallowing hard against the angry lump in his throat. "You know why I did that Ginny."

"I know."

"Then why thank me?"

She fell silent and let go of her knees, her eyes gazing hard into the distance. There was an aura of sadness about her, a regret that clung to her like a looming shadow. "You still don't understand, do you?"

"Understand what?" Draco asked in surprise. What could she possibly be talking about?

"Thanking someone isn't just about what they do."

His brow furrowed in confusion. What was she trying to say? She seemed tense… upset….

"I don't understand."

Her eyes shifted to him, the warmth in them slipping away in her tiredness. She was so broken now, so filled with bitter memories- yet he still loved her, as he only could. Dreams or not, she was the only witch he felt anything for.

"Thanking you is all I can do," she confessed softly. "I don't have anything else to give you."

His heart was breaking, he was sure of it. What else could cause this horrible pain that filled his chest? He couldn't breathe; he couldn't even speak- all he could do was stare into her eyes, feeling the anguish building inside him with each of her quiet words.

She reached out her hand and touched his cheek, her face so close he could see the pale freckles sprinkling her cheeks. "I want to love you Draco. Sometimes I think I almost do, but what can I give you? I'm nothing but a shell of the girl I once was. I'm just a walking corpse with baggage that not even you can save me from."

"It doesn't have to be like that," he assured her softly, taking her hand that had been resting on his cheek in his own and holding it tight. He could feel the coldness of her skin seeping into him sharply and frowned. "You're cold."

"It doesn't matter."

Not listening to her excuses, he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her frail body. Pulling himself back he gazed into her unhappy eyes and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't think that just because things have happened in your past that you can't live now. You have a whole new life to make for yourself. Tom is not a part of you anymore."

She shook her head bitterly, tears slipping down her cheeks. "You don't understand."

"No Ginny, you don't understand."

Didn't she realise that anybody could be saved? Nobody was broken to the point of not being able to mend, not even her.

"Your heart is not irreparable. You're not someone to be discarded and unloved because you've suffered things no one should have to face. I know you think I don't understand, but I do. I know you hurt; I know you're still haunted by your past. I don't expect you to be able to forget all that just because you're awake now, but you can't just give up. You should never give up…"

Her bottom lip trembled pitifully, the tears falling from her face like tiny drops of rain. He had always hated to see her cry, and now was no different. Unable to hold himself back anymore, he pulled her securely into his arms and held her tight against him. She felt so thin and fragile, and in that moment he wished he never had to let her go again so that he could always protect her.

"Don't cry Ginny," he whispered softly, stroking her hair soothingly. "Your tears are too painful to watch."

"I'm sorry," she choked out brokenly, burying her face into his neck so he could feel her tears pressing against his skin. "I just don't know what to do anymore. Ten years of my life have passed by without me. I don't know anything anymore; I don't even know anyone anymore. I almost wish I had never woken, because facing a reality I don't know is almost harder than facing the dreams I lived in my sleep."

"Ginny." He held her tighter and leant his face against hers. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

She shook her head and clung tightly to him. "Everyone was so happy to see me… I was happy to see everyone too, but then…"

"Then you realised you didn't quite fit in?"

"Yes," she said softly, looking up at him in wonder. Her eyes filled with tears and her lips broke into a watery smile. "How is that you always understand?"

He wasn't really sure himself in truth. Perhaps it was because like her he also had his demons. They were both fragile in a way, but she made him want to be stronger. He knew he could not wallow in self-pity if she was there; he knew he had to try and protect her against the world because she meant everything to him. She was the reason he lived, and somehow that let him see right through her to the very fears and hopes of her soul. It had always been that way.

"Does it really matter how?"

She shook her head. "I suppose not."

Smoothing back the hair from her face and wiping the cold tears from her pale cheeks, he smiled gently down at her, his own grey eyes softening. "You already know I love you Ginny, and even if you feel you can't love me back, at least let me help you. I will never force my attentions on you, but I cannot forget about you either. You are the one who drove me to wake up each day- to look forward to tomorrow with hope. You gave me a reason to live and not give in to the bitterness the past has given me."

Taking her face gently in his hands, his eyes locked on hers with tender determination. "Don't give up because reality is hard. I can't bear it if you do. Let's help each other. Let's be each other's strength."

"You really care about me that much?"

He nodded his head. "I love you Ginny. I can't just sit back and let you throw your life away."

Her hand tucked in his, the simple gesture meaning more to him than any words she could have expressed. "Okay."

Draco closed his hand around hers and stared up at the stars above them. What would happen now? He understood now why it was Ginny felt she could not be with him, and took some comfort in that fact that she admitted that she wished she could. She just wasn't ready; she was too scared to trust in love. Tom had stripped her off everything, but Draco was sure he could mend her again. His heart did not allow him to give up on her. His heart refused to let her fall, and so he would keep trying until the very end, because if he didn't he would fall too.

"Can you do something for me," she asked after a moment of silence.

He looked down at her curiously. She seemed different now. Her eyes held a determined gleam that he had not seen in a long time.

"What?"

"Take me away from this."

"What?" he repeated incredulously. Was she really asking what he thought she was?

She turned and gripped his hand in hers, her eyes gazing up at him imploringly. "I don't belong here. I just need to get away for a while. You're the only one I feel comfortable around now…"

Whatever arguments were on his lips died at those last words. He nodded his head and gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "Alright. Where do you want to go?"

"I don't care. I just want to be somewhere quiet. Somewhere no one can disturb us."

Draco thought about where he could take her. He had a home in France that was set hidden in the country. No one would be able to find them there, but there was just one thing…

"Are you sure you want to do this Ginny?"

She nodded her head firmly. "I'll never be happy here until I'm back on my feet. You said yourself that we can be each other's strength. I'm asking you now to be mine. I want to try again Draco, but I can't do it myself."

That was all he needed. He was unsure where this would lead, but if Ginny wanted him to do this than he would. She was all he cared about after all- he would not hold this from her.

"Then hold onto me and don't let go."

Ginny clutched tightly to his arm, and Draco pulled out his wand, dragging them both up to stand and turned on the spot. The world dissolved around them painfully before they were both appearing in a field of flowers under a pale moon. A house could be seen in the distance, but all around them was the still silence of isolation.

"Where are we?" Ginny asked in wonder.

"My home." He looked at her with a small smile and took her hand in his. "Welcome to France, Ginny."

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** **I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters or storyline.**

A/N: First I should say that this story is proving difficult for me. I'm not really sure what it is, only that what I had planned is refusing to come to fruition. As such, I feel like I should apologise if it seems strained, forced, or not up to par with my usual writing. Whatever the problem is, I am hoping that it will remedy itself.

A New Day

That night Draco took Ginny into his home and asked the house elf of the house to prepare a room for her. He figured it would be better to just let her sleep and then the next morning they could discuss what to do. It seemed to him like all she needed was a break from everything. She had spent the past ten years trapped in her nightmares, and now the real world seemed to have slipped away from her. If he could help her find her feet again he would. It really was the least he could do.

Watching her haunted chestnut eyes give him a strained smile as she went into the room that had been prepared for her, Draco felt the ache of a lover that could not love. His heart yearned to unite with hers, his body longed to hold her close against him, but she was so lost to her past that even her heart didn't know how to love anymore. There had to be something he could do…

Pulling his eyes away from the closed door, Draco made his way to his own bedroom and collapsed on the bed, not even bothering to get dressed. He sighed as he laid in the gathering darkness, wondering what everyone else must be thinking. Surely they would have realised now that both Draco and Ginny had left the home and were nowhere to be found. Would they be angry with him for taking her away? Would they hate him now?

He rolled over and stared hard at the window where the pale moon peeped in. He didn't want to be estranged from his friends, for friends they had become to him. They had suffered terrible things together throughout the war, and grew closer because of it. He hoped they understood that he had to do this…

Sighing as he rolled back onto his back, Draco stared at the roof. "I should just get some sleep," he muttered to himself. Tomorrow would be a new day, and tomorrow would bring new hope…

OOOO

The sun crept into the room slowly, at first touching the shadowy bed and then gradually enveloping the whole room in a golden glow. Ginny shifted sleepily and rolled over, trying to cling to the last shreds of sleep that still lived within her. Her steady breathing reverberated around the otherwise silent room, her long red hair fanning out on her silken pillows like a fiery halo. A frown drew her eyebrows together, her lips pursing in fear and frustration. She shifted again agitatedly, and then quite suddenly sat up with a rush, tears burning her eyes and her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Seeing the serene room around her that was lightly lit with the morning sun, Ginny let out a deep sigh and collapsed back against the pillows. "Only a dream," she murmured, feeling her beating heart calm down in her chest.

It was not a rare occurrence for Ginny to wake up so drastically. It seemed all her sleep was tortured with nightmares of her past; the shadows that lived in her soul still twisting her mind to fear and helplessness. Tom was dead, but his memory lived on in her; his taint still held tightly to her spirit, and even after ten years she could still feel his hopelessness dragging her down.

Wiping her tears from her cheeks, Ginny wondered if she would ever be that carefree girl again. She longed to find that happiness inside her again, to find the simple optimism that characterised her and made her look to the new sun with a smile that would warm the hearts of anyone. But Ginny was no longer that girl, or at least she did not know how to find her again. She was broken and useless, a wasted body that did not know how to love anything, let alone life. Her mind had been trapped in the veil where death was a constant companion. She was not sure how she had possibly survived all those years, only that she knew she had to. Now that she was awake though, she felt more lost than ever. Everything was so different; everything was so frightening…

Sitting up again, Ginny pushed the bedcovers off her and stepped onto the cool floor. She loved to feel every feeling against her skin to remind her that she was still alive, for her emotions seemed so stunted now. She was grateful to Draco though. Grateful that he had come to her all those times while she had been asleep; grateful that he had never given up on her… grateful that he had taken her to this beautiful home where she would not be disturbed.

Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror, causing her to pause and really look at herself for the first time. Her chestnut eyes were haunted and filled with fear, her red hair long and limp. She had no colour to her cheeks, and no flesh to her bones. She slipped off the loose robe and stared at her body, seeing the bones sticking out jaggedly and grotesquely. She was so ugly now, and gripping her fragile body to herself Ginny felt the tears slip one-by-one down her cheeks. How could Draco ever love someone as broken as her? How could he care for her so much? How could he possibly even look at her?  She was the kind of person small children pointed at, earning reproving glares from their mothers. She was a freak-show just waiting to be stared at, and it made her all the more frightened. How could this world ever accept someone like her?

The tears continued to fall helplessly as she began to shake. She wanted to be strong for Draco, to live up to his expectations of her; she wanted to love him too, but she was just so frightened. The fear filled her like a cold chill, creeping into her toes and spreading up through her body and heart to dull her senses. She felt trapped, isolated, like all the walls were closing around her until she would be caged in her fears with only her nightmares to keep her company. It was so hard to keep living when fear ruled her life, but Draco needed her. He told her that she was his reason for waking up each day, and surely she could not deny that…. Surely she could not deny him the only goodness she could give. It was all she had, but for him she would give it all. For him she would try, because he loved her and he believed in her.

"Be strong, Ginny," she whispered firmly, meeting her haunted reflection with a determined gaze. "Be strong for him."

The house elf that had showed her to her room last night popped in front of her and asked her if she was ready to come to breakfast. Apparently Draco was already waiting for her, but was happy to let breakfast be brought up to her later if she wished to sleep some more. Ginny felt touched by his thoughtfulness, unable to stop the small, grateful smile coming to her lips as she thought of the blond man that had stuck by her through thick and thin for all these years.

"I'm ready. I'll just get dressed."

"There are some clothes in the cupboard and drawers Miss, if you please. The Master had me bring them from your home this morning. Your family know you are safe and well and hope you will be ready to come home to them soon."

Ginny thought of her family and felt her eyes prickling with tears again. She hoped they understood, and it seemed by their reactions that they at least were willing to accept she just wasn't ready to come back to the real world yet.

"Thank you, um…" she trailed off, not knowing the house elf's name.

"Tinka is my name, Miss. Whatever you need you just call my name and I will come."

"Thank you Tinka. I shall remember that."

The little house elf nodded its head and gave a small bow before disappearing with a small pop. Ginny walked over to the wooden cupboard in the corner of the room and opened the pretty, painted doors, smiling slightly as she saw her clothes hanging neatly on the hangers.

"He thinks of everything."

Grabbing a casual dress from the hanger, Ginny slipped it on and frowned as she saw how loose it was on her now. Her shoulder blades dug out painfully from her skin, and her elbows looked like knobbly door handles, but there was not much she could do about that.

"I suppose it'll have to do," she mumbled in resignation and gave her hair a quick brush. It still looked limp and lifeless, but perhaps it would brighten to its rich colour again soon. She attempted to put it up nicely, but no matter what she did there was no hiding the fact how sick she looked. She wanted to be beautiful for Draco, but how could she when she looked like this?

"Oh what am I doing?" She dropped her hair in exasperation and glared at her reflection. "I'll never be beautiful anyway."

Turning her eyes away from the mirror, Ginny quickly left the room and made her way down to the dining room. Her eyes gazed about her as she walked, noting how nice the home really was. It was perfect for relaxing and getting away from the world, filled with flowers and cosy furniture, with bright paintings lightening the mood. It was not as grand as she had thought it would have been, knowing that the Malfoys were very rich; but it had a warmth to it that seemed to tell a story all of its own. This was a happy place, and she could tell it had seen many days of laughter and love.

Entering the dining room, Ginny spotted Draco standing near the large windows, his back facing her as he stared out into the field of lavenders. He seemed so strong and sure in that moment, and suddenly she felt a warm rush of relief sweep through her, telling her that somehow everything would be okay. He was here for her, and he would not abandon her. All would be well.

"Draco."

He turned quickly at the sound of her voice and took a few steps towards her; his eyes filled with worry, warmth, and that gentle tenderness that could only be love. Yes, he did indeed love her, and looking into his eyes she knew she was safe.

Feeling a rush of emotion burst within her, she quickly ran forward and threw her arms around him, burying her face into his chest as she felt her emotions overwhelming her. Her heart seemed to be singing in beautiful relief, her eyes spilling with warm tears of gratitude.

"Ginny," he mumbled in his soothing voice, placing his arms around her tenderly. She let out a small shuddering breath and clutched him to her, feeling his warmth surrounding her, his love seeping into her skin and settling in her heart. Somehow she knew in that moment that the days would not grow darker- that each day the sun would rise more gloriously than the last. Hope had blossomed in her heart again, not fragile and hesitant, but strong and bright like the fiery light that filled the skies above her.

"Thank you," she whispered into his chest. "Thank you for bringing me here and staying with me. You don't know how much this means to me."

He stroked her hair gently. "I only did what I wanted to do. I could not have done anything else."

She pulled her face away and gave him a watery smile. That was always his answer every time she thanked him. He was only doing what he wanted to do, because he loved her, because he would do anything to keep her happy. How did she ever deserve such a man?

Taking his hand in hers, she met his gaze through tear-filled eyes. "But the important thing is that you do these things for me. You keep helping me even when I don't ask." Her eyes fell to their hands, her lips trembling pitifully. "I was so scared. I was so scared that I would have to fight my battles alone, trapped in my fears and nightmares with only my memories to keep me company… but you've shown me there is hope; you've shown me there is still light. Being here with you- knowing that you'll never abandon me- somehow it makes everything better. Somehow I feel like tomorrow won't be so dark after all."

"Do you really mean that?"

She nodded her head silently.

"Thank you," he said softly, causing her to look up in surprise. He had never liked to be thanked, and so it was odd to hear him thanking her, but she thought she understood why he had done it. He loved her greatly but he was unable to show it because she was too scared to let him. Thanking her was the only way he could express his feelings, but looking into his eyes she could see what he wanted to say. Never had she seen his eyes so soft, so honest, and she knew that they were silently telling her that he loved her and always would- that he would always be there for her and help her in whatever way she wished. She could feel her heart tingling with warmth in response and suddenly felt panic flare up inside her.

Feeling awkward and frightened by the emotions she was feeling, Ginny pulled abruptly away from him. He did not press her for answers on why she had so suddenly pulled away; instead, choosing to change the subject completely.

"Shall we eat then?"

Relieved that he had not gotten angry with her, Ginny glanced at the table where breakfast had been set. Two plates of steaming porridge beckoned them over, and as Ginny felt her stomach grumble feebly, she realised just how hungry she actually was.

She nodded her head, and he pulled out a chair for her and gestured for her to take a seat. Ginny sat down, watching him take his own seat opposite her. He gave her a tight-lipped smile, which she returned awkwardly, before both of them started eating. The porridge was tasteless in her mouth, but she ate it all the same, knowing that she needed all the strength she could get. She was still trying not to think about what she had felt only moments before, and felt too frightened to meet Draco's eyes in case she felt it again. It had felt so nice, so peaceful, but she couldn't dwell on that. Love had destroyed her once before, and she did not want to risk that pain again. Even though she knew that Draco would never really hurt her, even though she wanted desperately to love him as he loved her, the terror she felt stopped her from giving in to her feelings and forced her to keep fighting against it. Fear was never rational after all.

Chancing a glance back at Draco, she could see the frown lingering on his face. He must be frustrated, but what could she do? Knowing he was here with her had given her hope and courage to keep trying to find her feet again, but the scars in her heart could not be mended so easily. Tom had broken her in everyway possible; he had used his love to hurt her. She was too scared to even dare to dream of what life could be like had she willingly surrendered to her feelings for Draco.

"What are you going to do about your job?" Ginny asked after a moment of silence. She knew he was sacrificing a lot to be with her, and felt guilty knowing she was causing him so much inconvenience. It was selfish, but she knew she could not do this alone. He really was her strength.

"I sent them a letter saying I was quitting."

"You quit?"

He nodded. "I want to be here with you. I don't care about anything else."

Ginny wasn't sure how she felt about that. While on one hand she was happy that he would stay with her no matter what, on the other she felt terribly guilty that she was holding him back, especially since she knew he was only doing this because he loved her.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said firmly. "I don't regret it."

She stared at her plate of porridge, her brow creased in thought. He had told her that she was his strength too- that she had helped him continue through all these years. He had said they would be each other's strength, and perhaps that was what eased the guilt inside her, as she realised he wasn't just doing this for her but for himself too. Pansy had told her what had happened that day she had fallen into the magical coma. Lucius had tried to kill Draco, and he had been given no choice but to kill his father to save his own life. He'd never been the same after that, and looking at his careworn face she realised that she was not the only one struggling with demons. He did not let them show to her though; he was strong for her, and she realised that she had to do the same. She had to be strong for him so that he too could heal.

Trying to lighten the mood the best she could, she gave a small laugh that sounded a little strained even to her own ears. "We're a sorry pair, aren't we?"

His face relaxed into a smile, his eyes lighting up with faint amusement. "A werewolf who's also a son of a Death Eater, and a woman who's spent the past ten years trapped beyond the veil? I think we're more than just a sorry pair."

She laughed, really laughed that time. It felt so good, like taking the first gulp of sweet, precious air after nearly drowning. Her eyes were brimming with laughter, her smile easy and ready on her lips, the infectious sound coming easily from her mouth until he too was laughing.

Their eyes met, each sharing a special smile, knowing they were both as hopeless as the other, but could take comfort in it too. They were both on this journey of finding themselves, and each new day was another step towards happiness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters or storyline.**

**Don't Be Afraid**

Ginny took in a deep breath, her eyes shut against the burning sun that glowed so fiercely above her. The blurring, red shadows of the sun flickered and danced against her closed lids; the wind rustling against the delicate flowers brushing her cheek, and slipping through the jade leaves of the proud, wizened trees surrounding her. It was so quiet; so quiet and peaceful, as if nothing could disturb the serenity of this tiny little world she had escaped to. No words were spoken to disrupt the tranquillity; no darkness to block the light of that tender, warm sun- everything was gentle, soothing… as if nature had wrapped her in a soft embrace, closing her in its arms to lull all her worries away in the quiet whispers of the wind.

Out here in this field, Ginny could almost feel like she was melting away from everything; drifting to a place where nothing could hurt her. The memories of Tom seemed so far away, locked tight in an untouchable place that had no consequence to her heart. The very real fear she felt living in a world she did not understand became laughable when greeted with the comforting beauty of this peaceful little sanctum. Even the sudden panic that filled her when she thought of her feelings for Draco became nothing more than a bothersome buzz that had no real meaning to her- like the lazy murmur of the bumblebees drifting near her: always there, but not really important.

Letting out the deep breath she had taken in, her lips curved into a slow smile, her bare arms brushing against the silken green as she stretched out on the grass- as if making a snow angel without the blanket of white snowflakes. The sun continued to stretch its warm rays down towards her sanctuary, and slowly she opened her eyes, greeting the pastel blue sky with a contented smile. Fluffy clouds looking like squishy marshmallows chugged past her gaze, bringing back all the childlike innocence she used to feel when staring up at the sky on lazy afternoons at Hogwarts, just watching her marshmallow trains trekking across the world of periwinkle blue (I always thought that periwinkle was more of a purple colour, but I could be wrong) above her. It was nice to have that peace again. It was nice to be able to lie here in this field, surrounded by the sweet scent of lavender, and not have to worry anymore about the past or the future. She could just be at peace.

This was what she wanted. She wanted to always feel safe like this. It was here that she felt like herself again, as if she was once more stepping into the shoes of that sixteen-year-old girl who had first smiled at the world with all the gentleness she carried. Here she felt like she could embrace the future with hope; here she felt like she could love Draco without worrying about the bad things. She was not a fool; she understood her feelings for the grey-eyed man were more than just friendliness or gratefulness.

It was love that she felt. This love was different to the love she had felt for Tom, though; she understood that now. That love had been filled with insecurity and a neediness that stemmed from her fear of loneliness and abandonment. The love she felt for Draco was much more gentle. It was hard to describe, but in a way it reminded Ginny of rain falling softly while the sun still shined. It was strange… almost surreal, and yet like the sun showers that shed warm, gentle rain, it was a nice change from the cold, biting storms she had faced with Tom. She just wished she didn't have to feel so afraid of it, despite its calming gentleness. She wanted so desperately to allow her heart to love Draco as he wanted her to. She could see the pain she was causing him, and it was all because she was so afraid of being with someone again.

Rolling over onto her stomach, the sleeve of her light summery dress slipping down her shoulder as she propped herself onto her elbows, Ginny gazed at the collection of daisies sprouting up near her face. Her fingers traced the silky, white petals that were so fragile and soft, and yet so beautiful in all their frailty. This place really was so magical. She was glad Draco had brought her here. It had been nearly two weeks since he had brought her to his home in France, and in that time they had talked and laughed with each other, but only now did Ginny feel that perhaps she was finally settling in. Only now did Ginny feel like she could accept her place again in the world.

A shadow descended over her, and Ginny smiled slightly, knowing already who was blocking her sun. She placed a hand to shield her eyes, tilting her head back to see Draco standing in front of her, the smallest of smiles on his lips. He was wearing casual black pants and a loose shirt, with an unzipped, grey jacket over top. He looked like he had just crawled out of bed, with his tousled blond hair and sleepy, grey eyes, and dressed in whatever clothes he had grabbed first. Ginny wondered if he was hot in that jacket, but knew that he didn't particularly like to wear just T-shirts thanks to the hideous scars that ran down his left arm. He had them on his chest and back too, but it was his arm where the real disfigurement lay. She had never minded them herself, but she knew he was self-conscious about them.

"I thought I might find you out here," he said lightly, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Her own smile coming in to play, Ginny tapped the warm grass next to her. "Why don't you join me? It's nice out here, and I could do with some company."

Draco nodded and took a seat next to her, hands loosely resting on his knees. They both stared out towards the lavender fields in silence, the meadows seeming to go on and on forever in a purple sea. Bees lazily drifted about, and the faint tune of birds twittered around above them from the leafy treetops. It was just so peaceful and beautiful, and she wished she could stay here forever.

"Are you happy here, Ginny?" Draco asked after a moment of silence.

She turned her face, meeting his grey eyes that were always so full of emotion. They were not intense like Tom's had been, but there was something soothing about the soft grey in his eyes; something that drew her to him and made her want to just stare into his eyes always. Normally she was afraid of the feelings his eyes gave her, but right now she couldn't find it in her heart to be scared. There was just something so magical about this spot; something so calming…

"Why do you ask?"

He shrugged and gazed back out towards the fields. "I was just wondering... I want you to be happy…"

Ginny impulsively placed a hand on his arm, her eyes finding his once more as he turned to look at her. There was a crease on his brow, revealing the trouble he felt. She wondered what could be causing this sudden change in him, and felt suddenly driven to smooth away the worry on his face. Just as he wanted her to be happy, so did she wish the same for him. Trying to be strong for him had helped her overcome her own fear in living, and in doing so allowed the dark clouds that swarmed around her life to fade away, if only for a little bit. He had given her hope again, and hope could only bring happiness.

"I am happy," she said softly, not breaking his gaze, her hand still resting lightly on his arm. "Being here… being with you… It's all I could want."

"Really?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes… I wish I could stay here forever, just you and me… I love-" she broke off, shaking her head and quickly looked down, her cheeks flushing with pink. She felt embarrassed for admitting so much, knowing that she had almost allowed her feelings to get the better of her. She loved him, but she was too afraid to say it. She just couldn't say those words.

Draco was silent for a moment, and Ginny didn't quite trust herself to look at him again, knowing that he was intelligent enough to realise she had almost said she loved him. Something had changed in the air between them- something that made her feel suddenly nervous and afraid. Even the wind seemed to have stilled, as if all the universe and nature was focussing in on this moment. It was terrifying, and yet there was a part of her that yearned to know what was going to happen next.

Slowly he leaned in towards her, his hand gently tilting her face up towards his so she had no choice but to meet his grey eyes. He was so close- so close she could see all the different shades of colour that made up his eyes, and not just the stormy greys, but also the pale flecks of blue that swirled into the storm. She had never known he had blue in his eyes, and her brain seemed to seize on the fact so that she wouldn't have to think about why he was so close to her. He just kept coming closer though, and she could feel her heart start speeding up in her chest, so that it drummed almost painfully against her ribs. Her breath quickened of its own accord, but she couldn't seem to pull herself away, or even stop herself from looking into his eyes. There was a magnetic pull between them that could not be dispelled.

"Don't hate me for doing this Ginny," Draco whispered softly, his other hand coming to gently rest on her cheek. His eyes closed, and then he leaned in and placed his lips against hers. Almost instantly her stomach started fluttering uncontrollably, as if butterflies had been released from a cage and had taken flight inside her. The blood pounded in her ears, and her heart started beating more wildly than ever. She couldn't believe this was happening; she couldn't believe he was actually kissing her, and somehow her fear of falling in love had gotten lost in amongst all the magic of this moment so that all she could think about was how right this felt.

Slowly, ever so hesitantly, she allowed her lips to respond to the chaste kiss, her body sinking in towards him so that he could slip his hand around her neck. Not once did he try to deepen the kiss, and somehow that made Ginny think the kiss all the more special. With Tom everything had been desperate and rough- almost to the point where it hurt to be with him. Draco was different though. His kiss was passionate and yet gentle as well. He wasn't trying to rush anything; instead, just slowly allowing his lips to explore hers with a tenderness that caused a soothing warmth to fill her body until she seemed to be humming with that peaceful, comforting feeling. There was no room for fear in her heart now. There was only sweet, beautiful love.

They broke away at the same time, his eyes finding hers once more. Ginny could see the apologetic expression in his eyes, and knew that he was afraid she might get angry with him for kissing her. She had always shied away from his attentions, being too afraid to just let him love her, and had told him more than once that she just couldn't love him. Now she thought she could though. She didn't want to lose this; she didn't want to lose him. That kiss had shown her that she had nothing more to fear. He would never hurt her, and she realised now how foolish her fears had been.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Draco muttered, looking suddenly guilty.

Ginny shook her head, a soft smile coming to her lips as tears sprang to her eyes. "Don't apologise."

"Are- are you crying?" Draco asked in astonishment, his grey eyes widening in shock. He ran a hand through his hair and looked a little embarrassed. "Was I really that bad?"

"No…" Ginny said with a laugh, feeling suddenly like the clouds in her world had finally disappeared. Everything was back to normal again. The sun was shining, the world was beautiful, and peace had finally settled into her heart. There was a balloon of joy inside her that just seemed to keep rising and rising, and even though the past still hurt her, she knew she had a future now: a future with Draco.

"…You were wonderful."

Draco's cheeks went a bit pink, his eyes flickering about in his awkwardness. "I…um… well…."

Smiling, Ginny leaned forward and brushed her lips against his briefly, before once more pulling back and meeting his stunned gaze. "I love you Draco."

He blinked, not quite able to believe what he was hearing. "Y-you do?"

"Yes, I really do," she confessed truthfully, the tears slipping down her cheeks from the sheer relief she was feeling in knowing she was finally free from the chains of her fears. She felt like something had released inside her; as if the wall that held all her heart and hopes back had finally crumbled and now she could just be herself again. She was alive; she was that girl she used to be. Tom's taint had finally gone...

"Ginny, I-" he broke off and shook his head, not quite able to put his feelings into words. Ginny understood though. He had spent so many years loving her- so many years hoping that she would love him back… This was all he had needed to heal his wounded heart. He had struggled for ten, long years, trying to forget about the battles he had faced during the war. His mother had been murdered before his eyes; his father had tried to kill him, and in doing so Draco himself had had to kill his own father, and then he had suffered the pain in being a werewolf... All of this had caused him pain, but Ginny realised now the only thing that could have healed him was the love she could give, and she had finally given it. It was all he had needed, and somehow it was all she had needed as well.

Love truly was so mysterious and powerful, for it was his love that had healed her too. He had opened her heart again and removed the nightmare that Tom had left within her, and in doing so allowed her to experience the simple beauty of life again. She was not naïve enough to think that everything would be perfect from now on, but she did know that her heart was finally mending, just as his was. The two of them, so fragile and broken from the pain in their pasts, had finally found their feet. She, who had thought she would never be able to love again, had had her eyes opened to the truth and beauty of the love she had always felt for Draco. He, so lost in despair that she would never love him, had finally heard those three powerful words which gave him that peace he had so desperately desired. There was still reason to fear for the both of them, but together Ginny knew they could get through this. Draco had always said they were each other's strength, and now, for the first time, Ginny realised he had been right.

Smiling tenderly at him, Ginny moved closer and leaned against his chest, feeling his heart beating against her steadily. He placed his arms around her and held her close like he had done so many times before, but this time there was a sense of completeness about the act, as if a silent agreement had been made between them that they would never let each other go again.

"I never thought I could be this happy," Draco said softly, still with his arms around her. "I always hoped you would love me, but hearing you say it… I just…"

"I know," Ginny replied with a small smile, closing her eyes and snuggling more against him. "I feel the same."

They both fell silent, but somehow Ginny knew nothing more needed to be said. They both understood each other's pain, just as they both understood each other's happiness. There had always been a special bond between them that allowed them to feel for the other, and that had only been strengthened with time. Now, after all had been said and done, Ginny felt like she didn't need to say anything more. Just being held in his arms was enough; just knowing he loved her was enough. She was happy.

Looking up into the pastel blue sky where the sun shone so gloriously down on them, Ginny couldn't help but smile to herself. Two weeks ago she had known that the future would only get brighter, knowing that each new day would bring new hope. Now she knew that each new day would bring not just hope, but also joy. She and Draco were at the beginning of a new journey, and though she did not know what lay ahead of them, she knew this journey would be a good one. The past was the past, and the world was theirs again. Love had healed them, and love would lead them to their happiness.

**A/N: Oh so corny, and oh so not what I wanted, but I really had to just end this story. It was excruciating to write for me, and when that happens I usually just end up abandoning the story altogether. Twisted was not exactly the easiest fanfic for me to write, and this one proved to be the monster of fanfics too. I know this is rushed, I know it's probably not what any of you expected, but I'm afraid this is all I could get out.**

**In any case, I hope you enjoyed it, and I really am sorry I could not do this story more justice. It was just too frustrating for me to write. I just had writer's block all the time, and, ugh, it was just painful.**

**I don't want to leave on a depressing note, so I just want to say thank you for the reviews, and for putting up with my painful writing. You've all been wonderful, and I only wish I could have done this better for you.**


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